A New Path
by What If Incorporated
Summary: This story takes place after the first Balto movie and continues into the second movie, but adds some twists. Steele was left alone that night Balto came home, but what happened to his life after that? Eventual Steele x Aleu
1. Slipping Away

Every dog in town had crowded into the old barn at the edge of town. Steele had returned and everyone was anxious to hear what had happened. Inside, Steele was speaking above the other's excited and questioning voices. Nearly an hour had passed when he had finally finished his story. Most of them sat quietly, content with the story, and others chatted amongst themselves or with Steele. Jenna rolled her eyes and glared at Steele.

"You're lying." She claimed defiantly before storming out. Steele raised a brow and watched her go, then turned back to the others.

"She just needs some time…" Steele said before anyone could say anything.

* * *

The next day, there was still no news of Balto coming back. Even the dogs that were skeptical at first seemed to accept what Steele had said. Everyone was accepting the tale aside from Jenna, who knew it had to be false. That night, while the dogs gathered in the barn to hear yet another retelling of Steele's story, they heard something.

It was a howl. Not just any howl though, it was Balto. He had returned. The lie that Steele had let them believe was proved false. The dogs all turned and faced Steele with a disgusted glare and left him alone in the barn. Steele tried to call them back, but none of them replied. He was now completely alone.

* * *

The next morning, Steele was woken up by the sound of his owner's voice. He flicked his ears and looked around, not entirely sure where he was. Then it came to him. He had stayed in the barn and fallen asleep. He stood up and pushed on the door with a paw. It creaked open and Steele's owner turned and smiled softly.

"Hey there Steele. That's where you've been." He reached down and pet Steele on the head. Steele wagged his tail lightly from side to side, but couldn't really feel all that happy since what happened last night.

Steele and his owner walked along side each other quietly on the way back to the house. Once inside, Steele quietly flopped down on his dog bed with a sigh. His owner brought him some dog food and sat down in a chair nearby. He glanced outside and smiled lightly.

"Some dog Balto turned out to be. Who would have known he'd become a hero?" His smile faded and he sighed softly then pat Steele's head. "I wish it'd been you, big guy. I always thought you had so much potential when I first got you as a puppy…" He looked away, his eyes distant with memories. Steele whined softly and licked his owner's hand. The man looked down with a sad look.

"So much hard work… so much time and money spent on you…" His owner said. He then sighed again and looked out the window. "I don't think I can afford to keep you for too much longer Steele…" He said sadly. Steele tilted his head, not understanding the words. He knew his owner was sad. What reason was behind it though?

His owner quietly got up and went to bed, closing the bedroom door behind him. Steele whimpered lightly and rested his head on his paws. Soon, both were asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Steele was woken up by shuffling sounds. He yawned softly and looked around. Outside the sun was just barely beginning to come up. Oddly though, his owner was already awake, putting a small stack of papers on the table. Steele twitched his ears and watched quietly. His owner sat down at the table and got out a pen then began reading the instructions on the top of the form.

"When putting in an ad to sell a canine, all fields must be filled in neatly and completely. Be sure to include the name, breed, appearance, age, gender and any other paperwork that may be relevant to the canine. If canine has received any awards, be sure to include descriptions of those as well as they may help increase the selling price of the canine. Evaluation of the selling price of the canine will be based on the information provided and you will be contacted within a few days." His owner sighed lightly as he finished reading then after a quick glance at Steele, began writing on the form. Steele walked over and gently nudged his owner's hand with his nose. His owner looked down and gently pushed him away, the same sad look as the night before still painted on his face.

"Not now, Steele..." He said in almost a whisper. Steele whimpered and walked back to his bed then sat down. After a few minutes, his owner finished and walked outside with the papers in an envelope. When he came back in the envelope was gone. Steele could only wonder what the papers meant and would happen now that they were gone.

* * *

A few days passed by and things went by routinely and quietly in Steele's home. He and his owner woke up, both ate breakfast together, his owner went out to get the mail, they had lunch, his owner read while he went out for a short walk and then later they ate dinner before quietly going to bed again.

One day, this routine was broken when Steele's owner walked back inside with the mail. He sat down at the table and opened one of the letters then read it aloud.

"Hello sir. I would like to thank you for putting in your ad for your dog Steele. I have received an offer for him and the man who sent me the offer would like to come and see Steele in person before making a decision. He will be by tomorrow at noon to see Steele. If all goes well and he likes your dog, he is willing to pay for him and take him that day. Please make sure your dog is in excellent condition and that anything that belongs to your dog is ready to be taken if he does want him that day." Steele's owner set down the letter and stared at the ceiling for a while before looking back at Steele.

"I guess we should get you ready, Steele." He said quietly before getting up. Steele followed him and watched as his owner picked up all his belongings and put them next to his bed. He then picked up a brush and gently began brushing Steele's fur out. What was going on? Why did his owner put all of his stuff together? Was he going somewhere?

After Steele had finished dinner, his owner sat down next to him and pat him softly. Steele gently licked his hand and laid his head down on his lap. His owner smiled lightly then sighed.

"I'm going to miss you if you go tomorrow…" His owner said. Steele could hear sadness in his owner's voice and nuzzled his head against his owner's hand. Suddenly, his owner did something he hadn't done since Steele was a puppy. He wrapped his arms around Steele's neck and hugged him tightly. Steele realized that something wasn't right. Why was this happening? After that, his owner got up and walked to his bedroom. He stopped in the doorway and turned back to look at Steele.

"Come on boy, you can sleep on the bed with me tonight." He said as he beckoned Steele over. Steele tilted his head and followed his owner into the bedroom then laid down at the foot of the bed. Steele's owner smiled softly and scratched behind Steele's ear.

"Good dog, Steele. Good dog…" He whispered before going to sleep.


	2. Escape

Steele was woken up early by his owner cooking something. Seeing as how his owner rarely cooked, he hopped off the bed and went into the next room. He flicked his ears in surprise as he saw his owner putting chopped sausages into his food bowl. His owner looked up at him with a sad forced smile.

"I made you a special breakfast, Steele. Enjoy." He said before going outside. Steele watched him go then went over to the food. Although it tasted wonderful, he still knew that something was wrong. Once he was done, he went into his dog bed and fell asleep. Not long after, he was woken up by talking outside of the house. He stood up and flicked his ears curiously then walked over to the door.

"Thank you for such a generous offer on Steele. He's a good dog. I'm sure you will like him." His owner said. Another voice was heard after.

"I look forward to meeting him." Another man said. Steele stepped back as the door opened. Steele saw his owner walk in with another man. The man looked at him and smiled.

"He is a handsome fellow isn't he? Quite strong looking too. He would make a perfect addition to my team in the next town." The man said. His owner nodded lightly. The two men then walked over and talked for a while at the table. After they had finished, Steele's owner got Steele's leash and handed it to the man. The man smiled and handed Steele's' owner a stack of green paper. Steele's eyes widened as he recognized the paper. It was money!! He now knew what was happening. The man was buying him and going to take him away from his owner. Steele whimpered and went under his owner's chair. His owner sighed then clipped the leash on his collar and handed the end to the man.

"Goodbye Steele. Be good." His owner said. The man nodded lightly to his owner then gently pulled on the leash. Steele reluctantly followed with his head low. What had he down wrong? Why did he have to leave? The man opened the back of his truck then gently placed a hand on his back.

"Come on Steele. Time to go to your new home." Steele sat down defiantly. The man chuckled softly and then leaned down and picked him up then put him in the back.

"It's alright, big guy. You will like your new home, I promise." The man said as he tied the leash to a notch in the truck to stop Steele from escaping. He then closed up the back and got into the truck and began driving. Steele sighed and looked at his home fading away. He would probably never see it or his old owner again. He tugged at the leash, but it did no good and he grunted lightly before lying down and sleeping. He was only asleep for a while before he woke up again. He stood up and glanced around. The truck had stopped and the man was filling his truck with gas. Steele flicked his ears as a plan came to mind. Perhaps this was his chance to escape. He looked out of the truck and saw that there was a forest not far from the gas station. It may have been the same one he was in before and it may not have, but he decided to take his chances. He growled lowly as he braced himself to leap toward freedom. He backed up as far as he could then ran as fast as he could and leaped over the side of the truck. Unfortunately, the leash didn't come loose and he remained suspended in the air next to the truck. Only his back legs touched the ground. He whimpered loudly and struggled to get loose. The man turned and saw Steele then gasped and ran over.

"Steele!! What on earth are you doing?! You could have killed yourself!!" The man exclaimed with worry. He reached out to help Steele, but Steele growled loudly and struggled more.

"Steele, easy there, you're alright." The man said in a softer voice. He tried to reach again, but Steele began thrashing more trying his hardest to get loose. Finally, he pulled back as hard as he could and then fell on his back. He was free now and his large brown collar was left hanging on the leash. He quickly stood up and shook off his pelt then turned and ran as fast as he could into the forest, ignoring the man's calls.


	3. Unexpected Companion

After running for what felt like an eternity, Steele finally stopped running and flopped down on the ground. He almost instantly fell asleep, too tired to move anywhere else. When he woke again, it was dark out and snow was falling. Steele grunted and shook off his pelt then looked around.

"Where am I?" He asked even though there wouldn't be an answer. He sighed and sat down under a tree. Nothing here even looked like the other forest to him and because of the snow he couldn't smell much aside from the pine trees around him. His stomach growled in protest and he realized how long it had been since breakfast. He stood up and began walking through the snow, hoping to find something to eat.

After walking aimlessly, he finally caught sight of something lying in the snow. He couldn't recognize the smell, but the scent made his mouth water. He began walking forward, but froze when the creature lifted its head. It was a snowshoe hare. Steele licked his lips and then ran forward. The hare squeaked and tried to run, but could not move since its foot was caught in a trap. Steele quickly reached the hare and swiftly killed it. He smiled proudly but then spotted the trap.

"It may have been trapped, but at least I can eat now." He grumbled. He leaned down his muzzle to take a bite, but was interrupted by a twig snapping not far off. His fur bristled and his looked up, his ice blue eyes scanning the area.

"Who's there?" He questioned with a growl. After he got no answer, he grunted then leaned down and took a bite of the hare. As he chewed, he heard paw steps approaching. He growled loudly then lifted his head. Right in front of him was a completely white arctic fox. The fox grinned lightly and studied him with its green eyes.

"Nice meal you have there, wolf. Such a shame it is so small though." The fox stated. Steele bared his teeth. By the sound of the fox's voice, he realized it was a vixen. Nonetheless, he wasn't about to get his meal taken.

"I'm no wolf, vixen and yes, it is a small meal, but unless you plan on becoming the second course, you ought to leave." He warned. The vixen laughed, seeming to be rather amused. "Not a wolf, you say? You're larger than some of the wolves I have seen in my lifetime. I bet you could even win in a fight with the alpha male of the small pack up the mountain." The vixen said as she studied him. Steele grunted and kept his gaze on the vixen. He was interested in what he heard, but still didn't feel he could trust the vixen. If what she said was true though, he might be able to find a place for himself in this world since he no longer wanted to be with humans.

"How many are in this pack you speak of, vixen?" Steele asked. The vixen laughed softly and sat down.

"What importance is that to you, dog?" The vixen asked teasingly. She then stood up and flicked her tail and began to walk away. Steele bared his teeth and tore off one of the hare's leg then dropped in front of him.

"You would be rewarded if you helped me." Steele said. The vixen flicked her ears then turned and walked back to him. Her eyes drifted hungrily to the leg then back at him.

"The pack only has four members: the alpha male, two other young males and one female. They live up that mountain." The vixen pointed with her muzzle to the mountain up ahead. Steele nodded lightly then pushed the leg closer to the vixen, but still kept it somewhat close to him to make sure she couldn't take it.

"Can you take me there?" Steele asked. The vixen's green eyes flashed and she flicked her ears with interest.

"You want me to take you there?" The vixen asked curiously. "If that is what you want, then I can take you there, dog." She laughed softly then looked down expectantly at the food. Steele grunted then pushed the leg right to the vixen's paws and she began eating. Steele also lowered his head down and finished off the hare, then looked back up at the vixen.

"If we are going to be traveling together, I should at least know what to call you by so I don't have to keep calling you vixen." Steele grumbled as the vixen finished off the leg. The vixen licked her lips then wrapped her tail around her paws.

"Likewise goes for me then. I have a right to know your name as well." The vixen replied. Steele nodded lightly.

"Fair enough. My name is Steele. Yours would be?" Steele looked at the vixen. She smiled and dipped her head.

"My name is Fayac. It's an honor to meet you, Steele. Thank you for the meal by the way." Fayac said. Steele nodded then stretched out his limbs.

"Alright, let's get a move on now, Fayac." He said as he glanced up at the mountain. Fayac's green eyes gleamed and she grinned.

"You wish to go so soon, Steele?" Fayac asked curiously. Steele grunted and began walking.

"If you are afraid to come, then don't come, I don't need help." Steele said with a grunt. Fayac raised a brow and trotted up to Steele's side.

"It's not that I am afraid. I just thought you would be. I can still smell human on you so I already figured out that you haven't been away from home long." Fayac stated. Steele stopped and looked directly at Fayac.

"So this whole time you knew I wasn't a wolf?" Steele asked with bared teeth. Fayac grinned with a light laugh.

"Of course I did, Steele. I wasn't born yesterday. I know what wolves smell like and that would not be you." Fayac stated bluntly. Steele snorted in frustration.

"That means those wolves will know it too…" Steele said with a sigh as he glanced up at the mountain. Fayac tilted her head. She could see some emotion behind Steele's eyes, but could not quite place it.

"I can help you, but I want to know why a dog would want to go live with wolves. Why not find your human?" Fayac asked softly. Steele's fur bristled and he turned to Fayac with a glare.

"My human sold me away, that's why!! I don't want to live with humans anymore!!" Steele shouted angrily. Fayac whimpered and took a couple paces back.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that this was your only option." She lowered her gaze. Steele sighed softly and began walking again.

"Forget it. It's my problem, not yours." Steele said in a low voice. Fayac looked back up and ran up ahead then stopped in front of Steele.

"I'm going to help you." Fayac said with a determined voice. Steele raised a brow.

"How do you intend to help me exactly?" Steele asked. Fayac grinned.

"Follow me to a lake. We've got to get the smell of human off you and make you seem more like a wolf rather than a runaway dog." Fayac said before taking off. Steele tilted his head, but quickly followed after her. Soon the pair reached a lake and Fayac slowed down.

"Here we are. Now, jump in that lake and make sure your whole body goes under." Fayac said. Steele walked over to the water then grunted and stepped back.

"It's freezing. That water will probably kill me." Steele said with a frown. Fayac rolled her eyes.

"Honestly Steele, you sound like a pampered dog. If you are going to face an alpha wolf, you had better get in that water." Fayac said. Steele grunted then leaped in the water. After a short moment underwater, he swam back out and shook off his body. Fayac yelped as she got wet and then shook off as well. Steele glanced over at her and chuckled. Fayac's green eyes gleamed and she flicked her tail then sat down.

"Told you it was cold." Steele said teasingly. Fayac once again rolled her eyes.

"Yeah yeah, you were right. Anyway, now that the human scent if gone, you need to smell more like the wilderness. Follow me." Fayac said. Steele nodded and followed. Soon the two of them reached a clearing. Branches from the pine trees along with a light layer of snow covered the forest floor.

"Alright, go roll around in the pine branches and snow. It will help you smell more like a wild animal instead of a dog." Fayac instructed. Steele nodded then rolled in the pine branches and snow. After a while, he walked back over to Fayac and sat down.

"Well… how do I smell now?" Steele ventured. Fayac laughed lightly then sniffed Steele's fur. Not only had the smell of human been erased, but he also smelled like he had been living in the forest. She nodded approvingly.

"Well done, Steele." Fayac said with a smile. Steele grinned proudly then began walking toward the direction of the mountain.

"I should be off then." Steele said in a determined voice. Fayac yipped and leaped in front of him.

"You want to go there today?! Do you even know how to fight?! Or hunt properly for that matter?!" Fayac questioned in a worried tone. Steele raised a brow.

"Yes, I want to go there today and I know I can fight." Steele answered bluntly. Fayac narrowed her eyes.

"But you can't hunt, can you?" Fayac asked. Steele grunted loudly.

"So what if I can't. What's it matter?" Steele asked. Fayac sighed.

"Steele, even if you do beat the alpha, it won't stop there. You'd have to take on the role as leader of that pack and you would have to hunt and live with them. If you can't hunt, they might not accept you, no matter how strong you are." Fayac replied. Steele sighed and sat down. Fayac whimpered softly then gently nudged Steele's side with her muzzle.

"Don't you worry, I can teach you the techniques on smaller animals, you just have to apply it to larger animals." Fayac said. Steele flicked his ears and looked down at her with a soft smile.

"That would be perfect. Thank you Fayac." Steele said. Fayac nodded and pushed him playfully with a paw.

"It may take a few days, but I will do all I can to make you as a good a hunter as myself." Fayac said with a smirk. Steele grinned.

"Let's get started." Steele said.


	4. The First Day Among Wolves

Four days had passed since Steele began learning to hunt from Fayac. It was early morning and Fayac was the first to rise. She scented the air then gently poked Steele's side with her nose.

"Steele. Wake up. Today's the day." Fayac whispered. Steele yawned then opened his eyes and lifted his head.

"The day for what?" Steele asked sleepily. Fayac rolled her eyes slightly.

"Today you are going to hunt alone and catch a large animal." Fayac stated. Steele nodded lightly then stood up.

"You believe I am ready?" Steele asked. Fayac smiled.

"Yes, I'm sure you are. Now tell me, what do you smell?" Fayac asked. Steele lifted his head and scented the wind. He had learned by now what the different smells of the forest were and he could clearly scent caribou. He grinned then turned to Fayac.

"There are caribou just north of here." Steele stated confidently. Fayac beamed.

"Well done. That means your hunt has begun. I will follow quietly behind but I will not help." Fayac said. Steele nodded then began walking north. Many scents that he recognized filled his nostrils, but he only focused on the scent of caribou. After a while, he spotted the herd in a clearing up ahead. He stopped and closed his eyes, feeling the wind against his pelt. The wind was blowing towards him. He smiled. His position was perfect. He opened his eyes then scanned the herd. Near the middle was a young doe with a slight limp. He licked his lips and flexed his shoulders.

Just when he was about to run, he heard a loud howl and froze. Four wolves were running down the hill opposite of him toward the herd. The caribou all scattered, running right to him. He growled then ran into the herd, looking for the doe he had spotted. Nothing was going to stop him from catching his prey, not even the wolves. He soon spotted the doe with a wolf running behind it. He growled loudly and ran even faster toward the doe. The wolf spotted him and growled also increasing its speed. Steele had the advantage since the doe was running toward him and he leaped up then sank his fangs into the doe's throat. The doe collapsed, but Steele held his grip. The rest of the herd was soon gone, leaving him with the doe. He let go once the doe was still and when he looked up, he was surrounded. The entire wolf pack was here.

The largest, a strong looking gray and white wolf with a scar in his muzzle, stepped forward and growled lowly, studying Steele with his yellow eyes.

"Seems like you are outnumbered, stranger." The male said with a grunt. Steele defiantly met the male's gaze.

"That I am, but you are not in your territory." Steele said defiantly. The male raised a brow.

"Hmm. You're quite bold." The male's gaze drifted to the caribou then back at Steele. "And by the looks of things, strong too. Do you have a pack?" The male asked. Steele's eyes gleamed and he grinned.

"I actually don't. I've been alone for a while now." Steele said casually. The male nodded lightly.

"I see. I'd like to offer you a place in my pack. Matter of fact, you could even be second in command." The male said. Steele grinned and nodded. The male grinned and the other wolves broke their circle around Steele then sat at his sides.

"Allow me to introduce myself… My name is Altair. I am the alpha male of this pack." Altair said. The male on his right, a dark gray wolf with green eyes, stepped forward and dipped his head.

"My name is Beku. I am a hunter in this pack." Beku said in rough voice. The male to the left of Altair, a young looking light gray wolf with teal eyes, then stepped forward and dipped his head. Steele noticed that this was the wolf he had outrun, but the male didn't behave any different towards him than the others.

"My name is Castoph. I am also a hunter." Castoph said in a quiet voice. Finally the female, a slim white wolf with light blue eyes, stepped and flicked her ears slightly before speaking.

"My name is Tuulikki. I am a scout." Tuulikki said. Steele stared at Tuulikki for a moment then quickly nodded and then dipped his head.

"My name is Steele. Nice to meet all of you." Steele said. Altair nodded and grinned.

"Now that all the introductions are done, we should eat. Steele, you may start eating first since you brought down this caribou." Altair stated. Steele nodded and began eating. Soon the rest of the pack found a place and also began eating. From a short distance away, Fayac watched and smiled then slunk off into the darkness.

* * *

Once the pack had finished their meal, Altair shook his pelt off then howled. Beku, Castoph and Tuulikki also lifted their heads and howled. Steele glanced around a little confused, but then lifted his head and howled as well. After a while, Altair broke off and the others quieted.

"Let's go home. Tuulikki, I want you to show Steele around and take him along the borders once we get home." Altair said as the pack got moving. Tuulikki nodded and fell into place next to Steele. Steele stared at her and grinned lightly. Tuulikki flicked her ears and grunted softly.

"You know I can see you staring…" Tuulikki said in a teasing voice. Steele grunted in surprise then looked forward.

"Uh… sorry." Steele mumbled. Tuulikki rolled her eyes and giggled softly then nipped gently at the fur along Steele's neck.

"I didn't say I didn't like it." Tuulikki said in a softly playful voice. Steele let his eyes meet hers and he grinned.

"That's good news." Steele said with a wag of his tail. Tuulikki smiled then the two kept walking.

* * *

Tuulikki and Steele stopped at a river at the end of a clearing. The two had walked through the territory and Steele now knew the borders.

"Well… that's the whole territory. We should got back and get you a place to sleep now." Tuulikki said with a smile. Steele nodded and the two walked back to the larger clearing at the top of the mountain. Altair smiled at the two as they arrived.

"I take it Steele knows the territory now?" Altair asked. Tuulikki giggled softly and nuzzled under Altair's chin.

"Yes. I'll get him a place to sleep for the night." Tuulikki said. Altair nodded and walked into a small den at the other side of the clearing. Once they were out of earshot, Steele glanced over at Tuulikki.

"Do you like the alpha?" Steele asked curiously. Tuulikki giggled and nudged him with her nose.

"Not like that silly. Altair is my brother." Tuulikki said. Steele nodded.

"Oh I see. Would you mind telling me about the others?" Steele asked. Tuulikki nodded.

"Beku and Castoph joined my brother and I last year. They were both looking for a pack and had just been traveling together before they found us. They aren't related though. Beku is rather bold and wanted to become second in command for a while, so he may not like you much since you just got here and got the position. Castoph on the other hand is rather quiet and usually keeps to himself. He enjoys my company, but my brother Altair is protective of me around males. I'm surprised he hasn't acted that way around you. He must like something about you." Tuulikki said. Steele grinned.

"I'm glad to hear I made a good impression on Altair at least." Steele said with a chuckle. Tuulikki twitched her ears.

"What do you mean by that?" Tuulikki asked curiously.

"Well I took the position Beku wanted, I outran Castoph back at the hunt and I don't know how you feel about me yet." Steele replied. Tuulikki giggled softly and licked Steele's nose.

"I like you so far." Tuulikki said. Steele's tail wagged.

"Really?" Steele asked with a raised brow. Tuulikki smirked.

"Of course. Now then… you can sleep here." Tuulikki said as she stopped at a small depression in the ground. Steele nodded and grinned.

"Where are you sleeping beautiful?" Steele said with a smirk. Tuulikki rolled her eyes with a grin.

"Right here if you must know…" She walked a few steps away to another depression in the ground. "Now hush and get some sleep. The pack usually goes on a border patrol in the morning. Goodnight." Tuulikki said before resting her head down and closing her eyes. Steele smiled then rested his head on his paws and closed his eyes. Across the clearing, Beku's green eyes gleamed.

"I don't like it. Why should a newcomer be second in command? I've been here for a year and Altair hasn't even taken much notice of my skills." Beku grumbled. Castoph grunted lightly in his sleeping pit beside him.

"I hate the fact that the newcomer can be all over Tuulikki and Altair doesn't even care… I couldn't even be alone with her for long without him getting upset. It's not fair…" Castoph said with a sigh. Beku snorted then rested his head on his paws then closed his eyes.

"There's nothing we can do about it since he's part of the pack now. Maybe Altair's just being nice since he's new. Either way… we should get some sleep." Beku said. Castoph nodded and closed his eyes.


	5. Loss

Steele was only asleep for a while before he felt something poke his cheek. He opened his eyes and spotted Fayac. He smiled.

"Hello." He said in a whisper. Fayac wagged her tail from side to side.

"You did well today, my friend." Fayac whispered. Steele grinned, but then lowered his ears lightly when he saw Fayac sigh softly.

"What's wrong Fayac?" Steele asked in a soft voice. Fayac let her green eyes meet Steele's blue ones.

"This is going to probably be where we say goodbye." Fayac said sadly. Steele grunted lightly in disbelief.

"But… why?" Steele stammered. Fayac forced a smile.

"That's the way things are. You have a pack now and besides… wolves don't have foxes for friends…" Fayac said quietly. Steele touched Fayac's fur with his nose.

"But you are my friend." Steele said with a soft whine. Fayac chuckled lightly.

"Don't be such a pup, Steele. I'm not dying. I just can't stay here. It's not safe for me." Fayac said. Steele opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the snap of a twig. Fayac gasped and dashed off. Steele got up and looked after her, but couldn't find her. He sighed softly and lay back down and closed his eyes. He had hardly closed his eyes that long before he heard a yelp pierce the air. He sat up quickly and the other members of the pack also sat up and looked around. Altair dashed into the middle of the clearing.

"Is everyone alright?" Altair asked quickly, glancing around each of the pack members. He relaxed as he looked around, but his eyes widened when he noticed there was one missing.

"Beku's missing… Everyone, start looking." Altair ordered. The others were just as surprised to find out that Beku was missing and got set on searching. Before anyone could get that far, Beku stepped into the clearing holding a limp bloody body in his jaws. Everyone stared in silence as he walked up to Altair and plopped the body down.

"Fox. I scented it earlier and knew it had to be close so I went after it. It tried to put up a fight, so I had no choice but to kill it." Beku reported. Altair nodded lightly and sniffed at the dead fox.

"Next time you leave the clearing at least make sure someone knows about it. Now then… Steele, would you take this out of our territory and bury it please?" Altair asked. Steele was quiet for a moment, but regained his composure and nodded then walked over and picked up the fox by the scruff and ran off to the border. Once he was out of sight and earshot, he placed the fox down and gave it a sniff. His fear was confirmed. The fox Beku had killed was Fayac. Steele whined sadly and nudged the body with his nose, wishing his friend wasn't really gone.

"Fayac… I'm so sorry…" Steele said in a whisper. He sat by the body for only a few moments before he remembered he had to take the body out of the territory and get back. He sighed gently then picked up Fayac's body once again and went across the border. He soon came to a short pine tree. He placed Fayac's body down then began digging a hole beside the tree. Once it was done, he gently laid her body in the hole.

"Goodbye… my friend." Steele said softly before pushing dirt into the hole. After he had finished, he glanced around and found a small bolder. He pushed it over the top of the now filled in hole as a marker, then turned and headed back the territory.

* * *

Steele walked back into camp as the others were getting ready to settle back down for the night. Beku was the first to spot him and walked over with a grin.

"How was taking your little friend to her grave?" Beku asked in a harassing tone. Steele bared his teeth and was tempted to lash out at him, but he knew that would only prove Beku right and get him no where.

"I don't make friends with scrawny little foxes..." Steele grumbled. He hated saying it, but it was his only option. Beku scoffed and brought his muzzle right beside Steele's. His breath still smelled of Fayac's blood and it was all Steele could take to not back away from him.

"That's funny seeing as how I saw it standing so close to you earlier. If it wasn't your friend then it must have been a very stupid fox to wander so close to wolves." Beku stated. Steele grunted and was about speak against him, but Tuulikki walked over and gently prodded the two of them with her nose.

"We have a long day you two, time to get to sleep." Tuulikki said in a soft voice. Beku faced her with a smile and nodded.

"Of course, Tuulikki. I was just making sure that everything went well with Steele. Goodnight." Beku said with a glance over at Steele. Steele eyed him boldly, but remained quiet as he walked off to the other side of the clearing. Steele grunted then turned and walked toward his sleeping pit. Tuulikki walked to his side and gently touched the side of his face with her nose.

"He wasn't giving you a hard time about something, was he?" Tuulikki asked in a concerned tone. Steele forced a smile and shook his head.

"No, not at all. I can see past that tough guy act he was putting up." Steele said with a light chuckle. Tuulikki smiled softly and nipped gently at Steele's shoulder.

"Alright. Get some sleep. Goodnight." Tuulikki said with a light giggle before walking over to her sleeping pit and laying down. Steele nodded lightly then lay down in his sleeping pit as well. He glanced up at the stars and sighed softly.

"I'll never forget you, Fayac..." Steele whispered lightly before drifting off to sleep.


	6. Close Call

Steele was woken up by a lick on his nose. His eyes opened and were met with the sight of Tuulikki's blue ones that almost mirrored his.

"Good morning!" Tuulikki said with a giggle. Steele grunted lightly and stood up and shook himself off. He quickly looked around and saw that that everyone else was still asleep.

"What the…" Steele grumbled. Tuulikki gently head butted his side.

"I know it's early, but sometimes I like to go for swims in the morning before a patrol and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me." Tuulikki said while wagging her tail from side to side. Steele looked at her curiously and couldn't help but smile and nodded.

"Alright." Steele said with a chuckle. Tuulikki yipped softly.

"Excellent!! Let's go!!" Tuulikki said quickly before dashing off. Steele widened his eyes in surprise then grinned and ran after her.

Across the clearing Castoph lifted his head then glared after Steele as he disappeared.

"Enjoy it while you can, Steele, you won't be the favorite for long…" Castoph said with a growl. He got up and shook his pelt off then nudged Beku in the side. Beku grunted and lifted his head.

"What do you want, Castoph? It's too early for you to be messing with me." Beku said with an annoyed voice. Castoph lowered his ears lightly.

"I'm sorry, but I need your help… It might help me get Steele in some sort of trouble." Castoph said in a low voice. Beku flicked his ears lightly.

"How's that?" Beku said, a little less annoyed and more intrigued. Castoph grinned.

"Well, he and Tuulikki went off alone together not long ago. If we could the leader to see them without knowing that they are being watched, he may see something he doesn't like. I'm certain that they are just behaving while he's around." Castoph said. Beku raised a brow and grunted lightly.

"You honestly think that would work?" Beku asked. Castoph grunted lightly and looked down.

"Well… I… don't know. I thought it was worth a try…" Castoph said quietly. Beku groaned lightly.

"Whatever, I'll go talk to the leader and try and come up with something I guess. When I motion to you, walk over." Beku said before he went over to the Altair's den. Once at the entrance, he sat down and barked lightly. Altair woke up then walked over to Beku.

"What is it Beku?" Altair asked. Beku dipped his head.

"Sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if we could start the patrol early. After all, our pack is bigger so it may take longer and our newest member will probably want to be sure he knows the borders well." Beku said. Altair flicked his tail lightly as he thought then he nodded.

"Very well… Would you mind fetching Steele for me and asking him to see me? I'd like for him to be at my side as second in command for the patrol." Altair said. Beku turned and subtly motioned for Castoph to come over. Castoph nodded then walked over.

"Steele isn't here, Altair." Castoph said. Altair grunted lightly.

"Where is he then?" Altair asked. Castoph glanced around casually.

"I think I may have seen him leave with Tuulikki this earlier this morning…" Castoph said. Altair flicked his ears.

"Did they tell either of you they were leaving?" Altair asked. Castoph and Beku both shook their heads. Altair grunted softly and scented the air then began walking. Castoph and Beku followed after.

* * *

At the river, Tuulikki and Steele were enjoying their swim. Tuulikki giggled and tugged gently at Steele's ear as she swam past him.

"Come on Steele!! You're such a slow swimmer!!" Tuulikki said teasingly. Steele growled playfully and swam after her then pulled her under. Just as the two went under, Altair and the others appeared. Castoph growled lightly.

"He's going to drown her!!" Castoph ran then leaped in the water. Altair and Beku ran over to the water's edge. Bubbles came up to the surface then the water settled. Soon, Steele came up to the surface holding Tuulikki by the scruff. Shortly after, Castoph came above water gasping for air. Steele quickly swam to the shore then laid Tuulikki down. Castoph soon was out of the water as well and sat down panting slightly. Steele glared at him with bared teeth.

"What are you insane?! If you hadn't leaped on top of her and made her take in all that water, she'd be fine right now!!" Steele said with a growl. Castoph growled and bristled slightly despite the fact that his fur was wet.

"You were the one who was trying to drown her!!" Castoph retorted. Steele grunted in dismay.

"Why would I want to drown her?! We were playing you idiot!!" Steele shouted. Altair growled loudly then ran over and pushed both of them into the water.

"Both of you shut up!! My sister needs help not arguing!!" Altair said angrily. He turned to Tuulikki, but was surprised to see Beku already helping her. He had gently turned her over so her chest was facing upwards. He then placed his paws on her chest then pressed down a few times successively. He repeated the procedure until Tuulikki finally stirred and opened her eyes. Tuulikki rolled back onto her stomach and gasped for air then coughed up some water. Beku smiled lightly then looked back at the others.

"She's going to be alright." Beku said. Tuulikki nudged his leg with her nose and Beku looked down at her.

"Th-thank you." Tuulikki said quietly before laying her head down and closing her eyes. Beku looked up as the rest of the pack walked over. Altair smiled lightly at Beku.

"Thank you Beku. Would you mind helping Tuulikki back to the clearing? Once you get there, take her to my den and watch over her so she can rest." Altair said. Beku nodded and gently helped Tuulikki up then the two headed back. Once they were out of earshot, Altair faced Steele and Castoph with a glare.

"What is wrong with you two? Explain yourselves. Now. " Altair said in an annoyed voice. Both Castoph and Steele lowered their heads and were quiet for a moment. Finally Castoph broke the silence.

"When we got to the river... All I saw was Steele taking her under... I overreacted and I didn't realize it until it was too late. I'm sorry Altair." Castoph said. Altair grunted lightly then looked at Steele. Steele sighed lightly.

"I'm also sorry for not telling someone before Tuulikki and I left. If I had told someone where we were going, this probably wouldn't have happened." Steele said. Altair nodded then sat down.

"Listen you two. Something like this better not happen again, understood? Now since Beku and Tuulikki are headed back to the clearing, it's just down to the three of us to do the patrol. Let's go" Altair said. Both Castoph and Steele nodded then the three set off toward the nearest border.


	7. Breaking Point

By the time Altair, Castoph and Steele had arrived back in the clearing, Beku and Tuulikki had long been settled down and both were sleeping just outside of Altair's den. Tuulikki's head rested on Beku's front paws and his head was over her neck. Both Steele and Castoph bristled at the sight, but Altair said nothing and didn't seem to mind at all. He walked over and nudged Beku lightly with his nose.

"Beku… wake up." Altair said quietly not wanting to wake up Tuulikki. Beku grunted softly and opened his eyes then lifted his head.

"Ah. Hello Altair. Do you need me to do something?" Beku asked lightly. Altair opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by a quiet sigh. Beku and Altair both looked down and saw Tuulikki nuzzling closer against Beku's body. Altair chuckled lightly.

"No, stay with her. I'll take the others on a hunt so you may have peace." Altair said with a smile. Beku smiled and nodded. Altair turned and began walking away. Castoph sighed under his breath and followed while Steele stayed for a moment. He grunted softly and glared slightly at Beku.

"If you're using her just to get on good terms with Altair, you're even worse than I thought." Steele said. Beku gave Steele a smug grin, flashing his canines.

"What I do is not of your concern newcomer. Don't you have a hunt to get to?" Beku said with a grunt. Steele bristled then ran off after the others out of the clearing. Beku grinned then looked down at Tuulikki and gently licked her forehead before standing up then walking into the middle of the clearing. He cast a quick glance back at Tuulikki then looked out into the distance.

"My motivation to keep this up will be for power. Soon, she will be so attached to me that she'll be blinded by her own feelings. Just like the female she is. When the time is right, I will kill Altair and frame Steele as the killer. She'll hate him and help me drive him out then will be at my side forever once I finally get this pack started on the road to becoming a pack to be feared. This pack will have a whole new generation to fear. I'll make sure of that." Beku chuckled darkly and looked back at Tuulikki.

* * *

It was late into the night when Altair, Steele and Castoph returned carrying caribou meat. They had all eaten their fill and now needed to feed the rest of the pack. Altair walked into the clearing and was the first to spot Beku and Tuulikki. Beku was growling playfully with his tail wagging and Tuulikki was on her feet nipping playfully at his cheeks. Altair chuckled lightly then bounded over.

"Good to see you are doing better, Tuulikki." Altair said softly. Tuulikki nodded and nipped once more at Beku.

"Thanks to this fellow here." Tuulikki said happily. Beku chuckled lightly.

"Well, who wouldn't save her life? She's too beautiful to let slip away." Beku said with a grin. Altair flicked his tail and nodded.

"Thank you once again, Beku. Now, both of you, eat some food. Steele and Castoph brought you some caribou back." Altair said with a nod before heading off to his den. Tuulikki and Beku nodded then walked over to the middle of the clearing. Castoph placed some meat in front of Beku and then Steele placed some in front of Tuulikki. The two of then walked quietly to their sleeping pits and laid down. Beku and Tuulikki began eating side by side.

* * *

Once they had finished, Beku led Tuulikki over to his sleeping pit. He cast a glance at Castoph.

"Castoph, if you wouldn't mind, Tuulikki wishes to be at my side tonight. It wouldn't be too much trouble for you to sleep in Tuulikki's pit would it?" Beku asked in a calm voice. Castoph had known Beku long enough to recognize that this was no casual question, it was a silent demand. He flicked his tail and stood up.

"Sure… No problem…" Castoph mumbled as he walked over to the pit beside Steele and laid down. Beku and Tuulikki soon settled down. Steele grunted loudly and prodded Castoph with his nose.

"What are you nuts? Why would you listen and let him get away with that? He's only using Tuulikki, you should know that." Steele said in annoyance. Castoph glared at him.

"You don't know Beku like I do… He's not one to start something with… He's dangerous… Just go to sleep. You should just give up on Tuulikki, Steele." Castoph said quietly before resting his head on his paws with a sigh. Steele grunted in surprise and looked back across the clearing. Beku was gently licking Tuulikki's face as she happily wagged her tail. Steele growled lightly under his breath then rested his head on his paws and soon fell asleep.

* * *

A week had passed since Beku had saved Tuulikki and things only got worse for Steele and Castoph from there. Beku and Tuulikki were inseparable, Steele had lost his position as 2nd in command to Beku, and Altair had began putting Beku in charge in of patrols making Castoph and Steele's lives just that much more demanding.

As the sun rose, Beku was first to rise. He walked over to Altair's den and quietly barked.

"Altair, may I have a word?" Beku asked. Altair flicked his ears then looked up.

"Ah, Beku. Of course. What is it?" Altair asked. Beku flicked his gaze to the trees.

"Would you mind if we took a walk? I have a lot on my mind." Beku asked casually. Altair nodded then stood up and the two of them headed into the woods. Steele lifted his head once they passed by. Something was up. He stood up quietly and followed after them.

* * *

Steele stopped and watched from behind a bush. Altair and Beku were getting a drink at the lake. Suddenly, Beku lifted his head and locked his jaws on Altair's neck. Altair gasped with a yelp and tried to pull away. Steele growled loudly and ran into the clearing.

"Beku!! Let him go!!" Steele shouted with a growl. Beku glanced up and twisted his head quickly without letting go of Altair's neck. A faint snapping sound sounded in the clearing and Altair went limp. Steele stopped and stared in shock as Beku let go of Altair and flung him into the lake. As Altair's limp body slowly sank into the deeper water, Beku dashed off quickly back toward the rest of the pack. Steele ran to the lake's edge and against his better judgment to pursue Beku, he swam into the water then dove in to get Altair. Maybe, just maybe, there might be a chance.

* * *

Beku burst into the clearing barking frantically. Tuulikki and Castoph ran over to him.

"What's going on?!" The two of them asked simultaneously. Beku caught his breath then spoke.

"It's Steele. He and Altair left a while ago, but didn't come back. I followed their trail, but I was too late… I think he's drowned Altair. I was going to face him alone, but who knows what he's capable of. I need both of your help." Beku said. Tuulikki and Castoph nodded and ran after Beku.

* * *

As the pack came back to the lake, Steele was pulling Altair's limp body by the scruff out of the water. The three of them growled loudly and Steele glanced up.

"Please… listen to me, I didn't do this…" Steele stammered. Tuulikki's fur was bristling and she ran full speed at Steele then bit down as hard as she could on his shoulder. Steele yelped loudly and tried to shake her off, but soon Castoph had leaped onto his back and was biting down firmly into his other shoulder. Beku soon ran over and bit down onto Steele's hind leg, causing Steele to collapse. Steele feebly tried to move, but it did no good and he finally gave in. Beku released his grip then placed his paws and weight on Steele's back, holding him down. He nudged Castoph and Tuulikki, signaling them to let go. They both let go, still growling loudly. Tuulikki glanced at Altair's body and whimpered softly then gently nudged his muzzle with her own. There was no response. She lowered her ears then turned back to Steele.

"How could you? You killed my brother! He let you into this pack and this is how you thank him?!" Tuulikki yelled angrily. Steele whined.

"I didn't…" Steele managed to say before Castoph bit down on his muzzle causing him to yelp in pain.

"Shut up traitor!!" Castoph shouted with a growl. Tuulikki looked away at the water's surface. Beku growled as he looked down at Steele then cast his gaze at Tuulikki.

"Tuulikki… you're in charge now… what do you want us to do with him?" Beku asked. Tuulikki grunted loudly, not even looking away from the water's surface.

"Drive him away. I never want to see him again. If either of you sees in him our territory after he is driven out, I give you my permission to kill him." Tuulikki said blankly. Steele gasped in shock and tried to get up, but Beku wouldn't let him.

"As you wish." Beku said as he slowly got off of Steele. Steele shakily stood up and looked at everyone. Beku was baring his teeth just in case he made a move, Castoph was braced to attack, and Tuulikki was lost in sorrow while Altair's body lay limp in mud. There was no point in trying to argue anymore. Everything pointed to him. Steele sighed and lowered his ears in defeat. He could have stopped this, but it was too late now. No one would believe him. He turned and ran. Castoph ran after him to make sure he was out, but Beku walked over to Tuulikki.

"I'm here." Beku said softly as he licked Tuulikki's muzzle. She whimpered softly and nuzzled close to his body.

* * *

Steele had long crossed the border, and finally stopped running. Castoph stopped as well and bared his teeth at Steele.

"You heard Tuulikki. Out of my respect for her wishes, I'm not going to kill you unless you show your sorry face in our territory again, Steele. I thought better of you." Castoph said with a disgusted grunt. Steele glared at Castoph.

"You may not believe me, but it wasn't me. Beku did it. I saw it myself. If you do go back, all I can tell you is to be careful." Steele said. Castoph growled and turned away then ran back toward the territory. Steele sighed softly and laid down. Everything had gone wrong. He too had originally wanted to eventually become alpha, but he would have never resorted to killing Altair. Now, he was once again alone as the sole witness to murder without anyone else one his side.


	8. Lost and Found

It had been about a year since he had been driven out of the pack and Steele had lived on his own successfully. From time to time, he would think about what had happened to the pack in all this time, but he would probably never know.

Steele sighed lightly and shook his head slightly to get out of his thoughts. He glanced around at the trees surrounding him. It was quiet and based on the lack of scents in the air, there wasn't food to be found. Suddenly, something in the air caught his attention. Steele deeply inhaled just to make sure. It was… Castoph's scent. Steele ran toward the scent and stopped once he spotted Castoph laying quietly beside a tree trunk. He flicked his tail then barked lightly. Castoph flicked his ears and looked up. Steele walked over.

"Castoph… what are you doing so far away from your territory?" Steele asked. Castoph sighed softly.

"I left the pack on my own." Castoph said quietly. Steele flicked his ears.

"What's happened since… I left?" Steele ventured. Castoph grunted lightly.

"Not too long after you left, a female loner asked to join the pack. Beku recognized her. She was his sister, Meka. She got along with everyone fine, including me. I liked her a little, but of course Beku wouldn't let me be around her much. Anyway, Beku as you would guess is now the alpha and Tuulikki is his mate. They had a litter of three, actually. After a while, I started to feel useless. Beku and Tuulikki are fine to hunt without me and since Meka watches the pups, I didn't really have a role. So I left." Castoph said with a sigh. Steele flicked his ears.

"Oh… If you want… you could stay with me…" Steele said hesitantly. Castoph grunted and stood up.

"I don't need to live with you. I'm going to find another pack." Castoph said as he began walking away. Steele grunted and lowered his ears. It had been too long since he had company and part of him didn't want Castoph to leave so soon.

"Castoph, please wait." Steele pleaded. Castoph glanced back at Steele with his teal eyes. He sighed lightly.

"Steele , it's nothing personal, I just need to start over… Oh and for what it's worth… I know Beku was the one who really killed Altair and that it wasn't you…" Castoph said quietly. Steele's eyes widened in surprise.

"Does Tuulikki know?" Steele asked. Castoph turned to face Steele and sat down.

"No. It wouldn't matter anyway, Steele. She… loves Beku too much to listen to reason and he would never tell her. I found out when I had to bury Altair's body. I realized that his neck was broken and that he hadn't drowned after all. Beku's the only wolf I have met that can break bones without leaving a single mark. That's another reason I wanted to leave. Like I said before, he's dangerous. You don't have to worry about the others though. Despite how he used her as a stepping stone to power, I do believe that Beku does genuinely care about Tuulikki now as well as their pups. And as far as his sister, she is also too important to him for him to ever harm her so basically I left knowing they are safe." Castoph said. Steele nodded lightly.

"Oh I see. So you're going off on your own?" Steele asked. Castoph nodded.

"Yes. I'm going to go toward the sea. I hear there's a large pack there. You can come if you really want to…" Castoph said. Steele nodded lightly.

"Alright. Let's get going then." Steele said as he began walking. Castoph nodded and walked at his side.

* * *

Much change had happened in Nome since Steele had left as well. Balto and Jenna had pups of their own and all but one of them had gotten a home. The only one left was a female named Aleu. She, unlike her siblings, looked more like a wolf than a husky.

Since she hadn't gotten a home, she lived with her father on an old ship by the beach. One day, Aleu had gone out to play with Muk and Luk and was nearly killed by a hunter. Balto had to finally tell her why a human wouldn't take her. She hated hearing the truth and ran away.

* * *

Steele and Castoph had been walking for a while and when a town came into sight in the distance, Steele stopped. It was Nome… his old home. Castoph grunted and looked back.

"Steele, what's up?" Castoph asked. Steele flicked his ears then looked at Castoph.

"You go on ahead… I… can't keep going with you. I'm going to take a different path." Steele said. Castoph tilted his head, but nodded lightly.

"Oh well… ok. Be careful of that town by the way. You wouldn't want to get caught by a human." Castoph said before dashing off. Steele sighed lightly as memories rushed back to him. He nearly felt tempted to go back, but he knew that couldn't happen. He lowered his ears then went in the opposite direction until he reached a waterfall and stopped for a drink. As he lifted his head he spotted a cave beside the waterfall and walked over then laid inside. It was a little damp, but he didn't care and soon fell asleep.

* * *

Night had fallen and Aleu had reached a waterfall. She sighed lightly and looked down at the water's reflection.

"Where do I belong?" Aleu asked in a small voice. Not far from her, Steele had woken up and was looking out of the cave entrance when he spotted her. He tilted his head then walked out on to the rocks.

"Hello… Who would you be?" Steele asked quietly. Aleu stood up and flicked her ears then her blue eyes met Steele's.


	9. Warmth

Aleu blinked lightly. The male in front of her was huge and yet he didn't seem dangerous at all. She flicked her ears lightly then spoke.

"My name is Aleu. What's yours?" Aleu asked still studying the male. Steele flicked his tail slightly.

"My name is Steele." Steele said. Aleu flicked her tail. The name seemed to be faintly familiar, but she couldn't place why. She nodded lightly.

"It's nice to meet you Steele." Aleu said with a soft smile. Steele nodded as he took in Aleu's scent for a moment. She smelled faintly of the town and also held another faintly familiar scent that he couldn't currently place.

"Likewise… Are you… from that town?" Steele asked, pointing with his muzzle. Aleu sighed softly.

"I was from town, but I ran away." Aleu mumbled. Steele flicked his tail.

"Oh I see. You're welcome to stay with me for the night if you like. There's a cave near the waterfall." Steele offered. Aleu nodded lightly.

"Thank you." Aleu said. Steele led her over to the cave and towards the back where it was dry and warmer.

"I hope this is alright for you." Steele said. Aleu nodded.

"Yes, it's fine." Aleu said with a slight yawn. Soon she was asleep. Steele smiled softly, glad to have company again, then rested his head on his paws and was soon asleep as well. Steele wasn't asleep for long when he was woken up by a cold breeze. He shivered lightly then glanced over at Aleu. She too was awake and shivering worse than he was.

"Aleu, if you want, I could sleep closer to you. Both of us would be warmer." Steele offered. Aleu was too cold to disagree and nodded. Steele nodded then got up and then laid down beside Aleu. The two were now close enough for their pelts to brush against each other slightly. Aleu had only just met Steele, but she felt safer in his presence and couldn't help but smile. She gently nudged his shoulder with her nose.

"Thank you, Steele." Aleu said. Steele smiled softly and nodded.

"You're welcome, Aleu." Steele said. Steele stayed awake for a while, even after Aleu fell back to sleep. He glanced outside and could see stars reflected on the water's surface. He then turned his attention back to Aleu and lightly sniffed her fur. Why did she smell so familiar to him? Perhaps he was only imagining it. He yawned lightly and rested his head back onto his paws. Just as he closed his eyes, he felt movement at his side. He looked and saw Aleu shiver slightly before snuggling her body right next to his. He smiled softly and then rested his head once more and fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Aleu was the first to rise. She yawned lightly and looked around. Steele was still fast asleep and she realized how close they were. She couldn't recall who had closed the gap and her first impulse told her to move away since she hardly knew Steele, but then she remembered how cold it was last night. She must have been the one who had moved, not Steele. She calmed down, nearly laughing at herself for the slight panic. Steele hadn't moved away, so it obviously didn't bother him. She smiled lightly and waited for him to wake up. A few moments later Steele was awake and he smiled lightly at Aleu then got up and stretched.

"You sleep well, Aleu?" Steele asked casually. Aleu got up and stretched as well then nodded.

"Very well." Aleu said. Steele chuckled then walked out to get a drink of water. Aleu followed after and drank at his side. As they finished, Aleu looked in the direction of the town and her stomach growled lightly. Steele flicked his ears then grinned.

"Hungry?" Steele prompted casually. Aleu lowered her ears in embarrassment.

"A little…" Aleu admitted quietly. Steele chuckled.

"I'll catch something for you. You're welcome to come along and watch as well if you want." Steele said with a smile. Aleu smiled brightly and nodded.

"Thank you. That's kind of you." Aleu said. Steele nodded then began walking, Aleu right behind him. The pair walked for a while until Steele stopped and looked back at Aleu.

"Just up ahead there is a herd of caribou. Stay hidden and quiet." Steele whispered. Aleu nodded and watched in interest as Steele slowly walking closer to the herd. Steele flicked his tail and headed to the side of the herd, carefully being sure to stay out of sight. Once he was close enough, he flexed his shoulders and got ready to run. The caribou lifted their heads and sniffed the air then scattered. Steele emerged from his hiding spot and ran straight for a caribou that was near the middle of the herd. It turned to try and get away, but bumped into the others that were also running, slowing it down. Steele growled and leaped then closed his jaws on its neck. The caribou collapsed and fell to the ground then Steele finished it off and lifted his head. He looked up in Aleu's direction with a light nod, signaling her to come over. Aleu nodded back and ran over to Steele and the caribou.

"That was absolutely amazing, Steele! I knew wild animals caught their own food, but I didn't think I'd actually get to see it for myself. Who taught you?" Aleu asked excitedly, wagging her tail. Steele chuckled softly.

"Well thank you. A... friend taught me." Steele said in a softer tone, suddenly remembering his friend, Fayac. Aleu nodded, not noticing the change in tone or pressing any further. She eyed the caribou and licked her lips hungrily, but looked back at Steele.

"You caught it so you can eat first..." Aleu mumbled lightly. Steele snapped back from his memories then chuckled and walked over to Aleu's side. He nudged her shoulder with his muzzle.

"I caught it for you because I said I would. Besides, ladies first." Steele said with a grin. Aleu looked up and smiled then wagged her tail happily. Without even really thinking about it, she licked the side of Steele's muzzle.

"Thank you so much Steele." Aleu said. She then turned to the caribou and began eating. Steele blinked in surprise at the affection then smiled and leaned down and ate beside Aleu. After the two had had their fill they walked side by side back to waterfall and got a drink. Aleu yawned softly and Steele chuckled.

"Does someone need a nap?" Steele asked with a raised brow. Aleu growled playfully in defiance.

"Yeah right! I don't need a nap! But you know what I think we could do?" Aleu asked. Steele tilted his head.

"What's that?" Steele asked. Aleu grinned.

"Go for a run!!" Aleu shouted before pushing Steele into the shallow water and running off. Steele grunted and lifted himself out of the water then grinned and ran after Aleu. After a while, Steele had finally caught up to Aleu. Aleu and Steele then stopped to catch their breath. Steele chuckled softly and nudged Aleu with a paw.

"You know, you're pretty quick." Steele said. Aleu giggled and smiled.

"Thanks. You're not too bad either." Aleu said. Steele nipped softly at Aleu's cheek.

"Are you alright with taking a relaxing walk back?" Steele asked. Aleu smiled and nipped Steele's cheek in return then nodded.

"I'd like that." Aleu said. The pair began walking back towards the waterfall side by side with their pelts brushing against each other. Both their tails swaying happily from side to side.


	10. Realization

While Steele and Aleu were leisurely walking back to the waterfall, Balto was headed in the same direction from town. He had picked up Aleu's scent and was determined to find her today. He picked up his speed and reached the waterfall. Once he arrived, he picked up another scent. A scent of someone that he didn't think he would ever see again. He grunted lightly, hoping he was only imagining it, and then he glanced around. He spotted the cave and tilted his head then walked inside. Just as he went into the cave, Steele and Aleu came back into view. Steele grunted and glanced towards the cave, hearing sounds from inside. He stepped in front of Aleu.

"Hang on Aleu… someone's there…" Steele said as his fur bristled and he moved forward baring his teeth. Aleu sniffed the air then gasped softly.

"Steele, wait!! I smell my father!!" Aleu shouted. Steele stopped and from inside the cave, Balto flicked his ears. Balto ran out of the cave then stopped cold, not surprised to see his daughter, but who she was with. Steele too had froze and stared at Balto. Aleu glanced from back to forth at both of them.

"What... what's wrong?" Aleu asked, looking from her father to Steele. Balto was the first to snap out of it and ran and placed himself between Aleu and Steele.

"Aleu, get away from him! He's not safe!" Balto said with a growl directed at Steele. Steele shook his head, snapping back to reality.

"Not safe?! I've been keeping her safe this whole time!!" Steele retorted with a louder growl. Balto bared his teeth.

"Oh that's a laugh, Steele! You never cared about anyone but yourself!" Balto shouted. Steele growled and bristled then took a step forward. Aleu grunted and stepped in between both of then growling in frustration.

"Both of you stop it!! How do you even know each other?!" Aleu demanded. Balto and Steele both calmed down, but not by much. Balto was the first to speak.

"Steele used to live in town. He was a sled dog. He and I… didn't get along because I'm part wolf. That and he lied to every dog in town to make himself sound like a hero." Balto said with a grunt. Aleu gasped softly in shock and looked at Steele.

"Is that true, Steele?" Aleu asked in almost a whisper. Steele sighed softly and nodded.

"Yes… It's true. That was so long ago, I tried to forget about it… To tell you the truth… I'm not proud of who I used to be. It was because of how I was that I lost all my friends." Steele said. Balto eyed Steele suspiciously then began walking toward town.

"Now that my daughter knows about who you really are, we should best be off on our way… Aleu, let's go" Balto said as he kept walking. Aleu whined softly and looked at Steele.

"Steele…" Aleu whispered. Steele sighed and looked down.

"Just go Aleu… I'm sure you don't want to have anything to do with me now…" Steele said in a quiet voice.

"But Steele, you're not like that anymore... I know you're not. I've seen so myself. You accepted me and took care of me… You didn't care who or what I was. I… don't want to leave you all alone…" Aleu whispered. Steele flicked his ears and looked up at Aleu.

"Your father wouldn't want you to stay…" Steele said. Aleu lowered her ears and glanced in the direction her father had gone. She saw that he had stopped and was waiting for her. She grunted lightly.

"He treats me like a baby. I can make my own decisions. I'd rather be in the wild then back at town where no human will ever want me." Aleu said in a determined voice. Steele raised a brow.

"It can be tough out here though. Life would be easier for you back in town." Steele said. Aleu scoffed.

"Steele, you've been out here for more than a year and your still standing. Plus, I'm part wolf so part of me belongs out here anyways." Aleu said. Steele chuckled softly.

"You may feel like you belong here, but you'd have so much to learn if you were to live here." Steele said. Aleu lowered her ears then flicked them back up.

"I can come here every morning and you could teach me things I need to know. Once I learn enough, I can live out here permanently with you" Aleu said. Steele raised a brow.

"Why do you want to live out here with me?" Steele asked curiously. Aleu flicked her tail and shuffled her paws slightly.

"We both know what it's like when you're not wanted and I refuse to let you or myself feel like that again if I can do something about it. I'd have a real home and you wouldn't be alone ever again. Plus I just know there's something special about you. You're not like anyone else I've met… You're complex and I like that." Aleu said with a smile. Steele smiled softly, a little surprised at how much she cared. In truth, he knew that he also cared just as much about her.

"I'm glad that's how you feel. I believe there's something special about you too, Aleu." Steele said with a chuckle. Balto barked softly and Aleu glanced back at him then at Steele again.

"I'd better go for now. I'll be back tomorrow morning, ok?" Aleu prompted. Steele grinned and nodded.

"Tomorrow morning it is then." Steele said. Aleu nodded then glanced back at her father who had turned and was slowly walking again. She giggled softly then quickly nuzzled her nose against Steele's cheek then ran to catch up with her father. As she left, Steele smiled happily. Even though his cheek was a little cold from Aleu's nose, he felt warm inside. He watched as Aleu and Balto disappeared then headed back to the waterfall. The thought of seeing Aleu again made him smile happily even though they had to part for now. Despite the fact that they both now knew who each other was, something still compelled them to want to see each other again. Something more was there aside from their friendship. A special bond was there. A bond that not even the past or the present could break.


	11. Passing on Lessons

Aleu yawned softly then lifted her head and glanced around. It was very early morning and the sky was still somewhat dark. She quietly got up then stepped out of her room that she stayed in on the old ship. She then silently tiptoed past her still sleeping father and leaped off the boat onto the soft sand. She giggled to herself then ran in the direction of the waterfall.

* * *

Steele flicked his ears as he heard a soft yip. He opened his eyes and looked out of the cave. Soon, Aleu came into view and he smiled brightly and began to wag his tail. He got up and ran over to meet her.

"Good morning, Aleu." Steele said. Aleu smiled and nipped at Steele's cheek.

"Good morning, Steele. I'm ready for my first lesson." Aleu said excitedly while wagging her tail. Steele grinned and nodded.

"Alright then, follow me." Steele said before he began walking towards the deeper part of the forest. Aleu nodded and followed.

* * *

Steele rolled his eyes and chuckled softly to himself. He then stepped out from the bush he was behind. Aleu glanced up.

"Did I do it wrong again?" Aleu asked in a worried voice. Steele smiled softly then placed a paw on Aleu's back end and pushed it down slightly.

"Get your butt and tail down. You should be closer to the ground." Steele instructed. Aleu grunted in frustration.

"Darn it! I'll never get it right!" Aleu complained. Steele chuckled and nipped softly at Aleu's muzzle.

"Oh hush, you're doing well for a beginner." Steele said cheerfully. Aleu smiled softly.

"You mean that?" Aleu asked hopefully. Steele nodded.

"Much better off than I was when I started. It's probably because you have wolf in you." Steele said with a chuckle. Aleu giggled softly then studied Steele for a moment.

"I know you told me a friend taught you to hunt, but you never went into detail. What was you friend like?" Aleu asked. Steele sighed softly and lowered his ears.

"Well, the first wild animal I encountered when I ran away was a fox. Her name was Fayac. She's the one who told me about the wolf pack I was in earlier. I told her I wanted to be in the pack and she offered to help me. As she taught me, we became friends." Steele reflected quietly. Aleu listened and nodded lightly.

"So… what happened to her?" Aleu asked. Steele sighed.

"She was killed by one of the wolves in the pack." Steele said. Aleu whimpered softly and nuzzled Steele gently.

"Oh. I'm sorry you lost your friend and teacher." Aleu said in a gentle voice. Steele gently nuzzled her back then licked the top of Aleu's nose.

"At least I have someone to pass on her lessons to now." Steele said with a soft smile. Aleu nodded and smiled softly then nodded.

"That's right! Now… where were we?" Aleu said before crouching down to the ground. Steele chuckled and crouched down beside Aleu modeling the correct form for hunting.

"Now, pay attention and do as I do." Steele instructed. Aleu nodded.

* * *

Aleu yawned softly as she and Steele walked back to the waterfall. The sun was near setting now. Steele glanced over at Aleu and chuckled softly.

"I didn't think you would want to keep trying so hard." Steele said with a grin. Aleu giggled softly and nipped gently at Steele's cheek.

"I don't give up easy. Besides, now I've got some lessons under my belt." Aleu said with a determined smile. Steele nodded.

"That you do. If you keep this up, we will be done in no time and then you can go on first hunt." Steele said. Aleu beamed proudly.

"I look forward to it." Aleu said. Steele nodded then glanced at the sky.

"Time for you to get home." Steele said. Aleu rolled her eyes.

"Yeah yeah. I know." Aleu said with a giggle. She gently licked Steele's muzzle then dashed back towards town. Steele chuckled and watched her go then headed back to the cave.

* * *

The next two days, the lessons continued and soon Aleu had learned all she could from Steele. On the third day she arrived, Steele was smiling proudly.

"Today's the day Aleu." Steele said as Aleu got to him. Aleu wagged her tail and grinned.

"My first hunt alone?" Aleu inquired. Steele nodded.

"Yes. You will have no help from me this time. I'll just observe. Your hunt starts now." Steele said. Aleu nodded then smirked and sniffed the air. She licked her lips as the scent of caribou filled her nostrils then went in the direction of the scent. Steele followed a short distance behind.


	12. Breaking the News

Steele gasped in amazement as he watched Aleu running quickly, but still gracefully beside a small female caribou. Aleu growled then leaped forward and locked her jaws on the caribou's neck. The caribou fell to the ground then Aleu quickly finished off and released her jaws. Steele beamed proudly then walked over.

"Well done Aleu." Steele said. Aleu smirked and sat down.

"I learned from the best." Aleu replied. Steele chuckled.

"Well I doubt I'm the best teacher, but I must be doing something right." Steele said. Aleu giggled softly then looked down at the caribou before looking back up at Steele.

"Would you like to share it with me?" Aleu asked. Steele nodded.

"Sure. You get first bite though. It's your kill." Steele said. Aleu nodded then took a bite of the caribou. Soon, Steele joined at her side. After the two had had their fill, Aleu and Steele walked back to the waterfall. Aleu stretched then glanced at town and then back at Steele.

"Hey… Steele?" Aleu prompted. Steele flicked his ears.

"Yes Aleu?" Steele asked. Aleu sat down and sighed softly.

"How should I tell my mother and father that I'm leaving soon?" Aleu asked. Steele tilted his head.

"Oh. You still want to live out here with me then?" Steele asked. Aleu nodded.

"Of course I do. I just don't know how to tell them yet." Aleu said. Steele thought for a moment then gently nudged Aleu with his nose.

"Would you like me to come with you?" Steele asked. Aleu smiled brightly and nodded.

"Yes please. That would make it easier for me." Aleu said. Steele nodded.

"Alright. We should get going then." Steele said. Aleu nodded then got up and began walking. Steele followed not far behind her. Once Aleu spotted the ship, she turned to Steele.

"Wait beside the ship. You'll know when I need you." Aleu said. Steele nodded lightly then sat down. Just above the pair, Balto grunted lightly as he peeked into Aleu's room.

"Gone again, as usual." Balto said with a sigh. He flicked his ears when he heard Aleu's soft howl. He leaped off the ship and on to the sand then waited for her. Aleu appeared from the side of the ship then sat down.

"Can you get mom?" Aleu asked in a soft voice. Balto flicked his ears slightly then lifted his head and howled. Jenna, not that far off, heard the howl and knew in an instant it was Balto. She ran toward the ship. When she arrived, she sat down beside Balto. Aleu looked at her mother and father then took a deep breath.

"Mom, dad, I have something to tell you… The past three days I have been going out and learning skills I need to survive in the wild. One such skill I learned was how to hunt. I have now learned all I can and I would like to tell you that I… wish to live in the wild now. I know I'll never get a human and this is the path I choose." Aleu said. Balto and Jenna looked at each other uncertainly. Jenna was the first to speak.

"Aleu, who taught you?" Jenna asked. Balto grunted lightly, already having an idea. Aleu glanced behind her as Steele walked to her side then sat down.

"Steele taught me. He's lived out there for quite some time and he taught me well." Aleu said. Balto snorted in annoyance.

"So you've been sneaking out every morning to learn from him. I won't allow you to put your life in danger and live out there with him." Balto said with a grunt. Aleu narrowed her eyes and lowered her ears.

"My life won't be in danger! I'll be staying with Steele. He'll protect me because he cares about me and I care about him. Why can't you understand that?" Aleu asked. Jenna softened and nudged Balto gently. Balto sighed and calmed down a little. Jenna studied Steele for a moment.

"Steele, is it true that you care about my daughter?" Jenna asked. Steele met her gaze and nodded.

"Yes Jenna. I do. I know the Steele you know wasn't exactly the best guy in the world, but I've changed. I promise you that." Steele said. Jenna flicked her tail lightly. Balto grunted softly and looked at Aleu.

"Aleu, do you really care about him despite his past?" Balto asked. Aleu nodded.

"Yes. He's been nothing but kind to me since the day we met." Aleu said. Balto flicked his tail then glanced at Jenna and nodded lightly. Jenna nodded and looked at Aleu.

"If that is the case, you have both our permission to leave." Jenna said. Aleu smiled softly and walked forward then nuzzled her mother and father.

"Thank you so much. I know this is what I want." Aleu said. Jenna licked Aleu's cheek softly and Balto did the same.

"Make sure to come by and visit us soon though." Balto said. Aleu nodded.

"I will." Aleu said. Balto and Jenna nodded then looked at Steele.

"Take care of her, Steele." Jenna said in a soft voice. Balto nodded in agreement. Steele dipped his head.

"I promise both of you, I will." Steele said. Aleu smiled softly and nuzzled Steele affectionately. The pair then got up and turned to head back. Balto and Jenna watched as Aleu and Steele disappeared from sight. Balto glanced at Jenna.

"You think we did the right thing?" Balto asked. Jenna smiled softly and licked Balto's nose.

"I believe we did. I can tell Steele's changed for the better Balto. Aleu will be fine and now she finally has a home." Jenna said. Balto smiled softly and nodded.


	13. Home is Where the Heart is

Aleu giggled and smiled brightly once she and Steele had reached the waterfall.

"It feels so good to finally belong!" Aleu shouted as she ran and leaped into the water. Steele chuckled then ran after her and leaped in as well. The two of them came to the surface together and then Aleu's blue eyes met Steele's. Aleu smiled softly and swam closer to Steele then licked his nose. Steele chuckled lightly and licked Aleu's muzzle affectionately.

"I'm glad you're here with me now, Aleu. I really am." Steele said. Aleu smiled softly.

"And I am glad to be here with you as well, Steele." Aleu said. Steele smiled. The two swam for a while then got out of the water and shook their pelts dry. Aleu yawned softly then walked to the cave and laid down. Steele wagged his tail from side to side then followed her inside and laid down as well. He gently licked the top of Aleu's head.

"Hey Aleu?" Steele prompted. Aleu glanced up sleepily.

"Yes Steele?" Aleu asked. Steele glanced out of the cave for a moment then back at Aleu.

"Would you like to search for a new home tomorrow?" Steele asked. Aleu smiled softly and nuzzled against Steele.

"Home is where the heart is, Steele. So no matter where we are, my home will be with you." Aleu said before yawning again and resting her head on her paws. Steele smiled softly.

"Same here, Aleu. Same here." Steele said before resting his head down.

* * *

Steele was the first to rise. He stretched then walked over and got a drink. Aleu yawned softly then woke up. She smiled and then got up to drink beside Steele.

"I'm ready to leave when you are, Steele." Aleu said in a cheerful tone. Steele grinned then nodded.

"Alright then. We should get going then. The earlier we start, the sooner we'll find a place." Steele said as he began walking. Aleu nodded and walked at Steele's side. After traveling for a while, Aleu flicked her ears and glanced up towards the mountains.

"What about there, Steele?" Aleu asked. Steele followed her gaze then shook his head.

"That's where my old pack still lives. You can even smell their scent markers… Wait a minute… That's odd." Steele grunted lightly and sniffed the air. Aleu tilted her head.

"What is it?" Aleu asked. Steele walked over to a tree and sniffed it then sniffed the air again.

"The territory came to about here, but I can't smell a thing. I think they left." Steele said. Aleu flicked her tail and sniffed the air as well.

"Why don't we go check it out?" Aleu asked. Steele flicked his tail then nodded.

"Alright… stick close to me." Steele said as he began walking. Aleu followed closely at his side. Soon the two came a clearing. Steele tilted his head then glanced around.

"This is where my old pack used to live. Over where those impressions are in the ground is where we slept. That cave is where our alpha slept." Steele said. Aleu nodded lightly then walked around and peeked into the cave. She then flicked her tail and walked back to Steele.

"Could we live here?" Aleu asked. Steele thought for a moment then sighed softly.

"This place doesn't have the best of memories, but if you want to rest, we can stay here for a little while." Steele said. Aleu lowered her ears and nuzzled under Steele's chin.

"That's ok. I was just curious. Let's keep moving then." Aleu said. Steele nodded lightly and the pair began walking again. They walked for a while until they reached a large lake. Aleu walked over and got a drink then glanced around.

"This place is lovely." Aleu said. Steele got a drink then looked around as well.

"It's beautiful." Steele said. Aleu wagged her tail when she spotted a rock formation that created a large cave. She walked over then stood at the mouth of it.

"Steele, look at this. It's huge in here." Aleu said. Steele smiled softly then walked over and looked inside.

"Wow. You're right; you could fit a whole family in there." Steele said with a chuckle. Aleu giggled softly, feeling her cheeks get warm as she blushed. She glanced down at her paws, not wanting Steele to notice.

"I guess you could couldn't you?" Aleu said quietly. Steele flicked his ears then turned and glanced back at Aleu. He raised a brow when he saw faint pink beneath the fur along Aleu's cheeks. He too felt himself blush softly beneath his fur.

"Yeah, I guess so. So uh… Why don't we get some sleep? The sun's setting and it looks like we have a home now." Steele said. Aleu looked up, still faintly blushing, and nodded.

"Sure." Aleu said in a soft voice before she went into the cave and laid down. Steele walked inside and laid right beside her. Aleu lifted her head and licked Steele's cheek affectionately. Steele wagged his tail slightly and returned the gesture. Soon, both were asleep.


	14. Love and Desire

Steele was the first to rise the next morning. He glanced over at Aleu then smiled softly. Suddenly, something about Aleu caught his attention. He brought his nose closer to Aleu and inhaled deeply. Her scent was completely different and after getting a better sniff, he knew why. Aleu was going into heat. He grunted slightly and stood up then went to get a drink to clear his head. He cared for Aleu, but he didn't want to end up forcing himself on her because of how tempting she smelled. Aleu was soon up as well and spotted Steele getting a drink. She smiled softly then got up and began to get a drink beside him. Steele grunted softly and tried not to be taken in by Aleu's scent. Aleu flicked her ears then glanced up at Steele.

"You alright?" Aleu asked. Steele chuckled nervously and lifted his head, trying to get the scent out of his nostrils.

"Yeah, fine." Steele said in a low voice. Aleu grunted.

"Yeah right Steele. Something's bothering you and I know it." Aleu said. Steele sighed softly.

"Alright alright... It's just that... your smell is very... tempting. I'm trying to control myself, but it's difficult." Steele said in almost a whisper. Aleu smirked and walked right in front of Steele, her pelt brushing against his.

"You don't have to control yourself Steele. After all, I'm not now am I?" Aleu said with a grin. Steele inhaled Aleu's scent as she passed in front of him. He then grunted and shook his head.

"Aleu. That's the hormones talking. I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do..." Steele said. Aleu giggled softly and licked underneath Steele's chin.

"Don't be silly Steele. I do want this and I want you." Aleu said in a soft voice. Steele's ears perked up and he looked at Aleu with a raised brow.

"You mean that, Aleu? You really want me?" Steele questioned. Aleu nodded.

"Of course I mean it Steele. I haven't felt like this before about a guy before and frankly, I really care about you. If you'd take me, I would like to be... your mate." Aleu said quietly. Steele smiled softly and licked the top of Aleu's head.

"I would love to be Aleu. Also, whenever you are ready, we can mate if that is your choice." Steele said in a gentle voice. Aleu smiled happily and wagged her tail.

"Steele... I love you." Aleu whispered. Steele smiled happily and wagged his tail as well.

"I love you too Aleu." Steele said softly. Aleu yipped happily and then let her eyes meet Steele's.

"Steele... I think I'm ready now." Aleu said quietly. Steele studied Aleu for a moment.

"You certain this is what you want?" Steele asked as he walked behind Aleu. Aleu glanced back and nodded.

"Yes. One thing though Steele... It's... my first time... could you be gentle?" Aleu asked in nearly a whisper. Steele nodded.

"Of course Aleu. I want to make this perfect for you." Steele said. Aleu smiled softly then lifted her tail and put it to the side. Steele smiled softly then gently ran his tongue along Aleu's entrance. Aleu gasped softly and arched her back. Steele smiled softly and continued gently licking Aleu's entrance. Aleu's spine tingled with pleasure. Steele murred lightly then carefully mounted Aleu and paused. Aleu flicked her ears then glanced back at Steele. Steele tilted his head and then Aleu nodded. Steele slowly pushed himself into Aleu's entrance. Aleu yelped softly and lowered her ears.

"Steele, it hurts a little..." Aleu whimpered. Steele gently leaned forward a little then licked the back of Aleu's ear.

"Don't worry, it will pass. I promise." Steele said in a gentle voice. Aleu nodded softly and Steele remained still for Aleu to get used to him. A few moments passed and then Aleu glanced back at Steele and nodded. Steele nodded and then pulled part way out of Aleu before thrusting himself quickly back in. Aleu whimpered softly and Steele gently licked the back of her ear then remained still once again. Aleu soon got used to the sensations running throughout her body and gave Steele an approving nod once again. Steele once again pulled part way out before thrusting back in. Aleu arched her back slightly as Steele continued thrust in and out of her body. Soon, she gave into the pleasure and began moaning. Steele moaned lightly as well as he picked up his pace and thrusted more forcefully into Aleu. Aleu clawed at the ground beneath her and her body began shaking with pleasure. Steele murred loudly and gripped his front legs more tightly around Aleu's waist and continued thrusting into her body for a while longer. Aleu became louder as she neared her climax. Steele too felt himself getting closer, but he held it in. Finally Aleu gave in and moaned loudly as she reached her climax. Steele moaned as well as he gave in and finally released himself inside of Aleu. The pair remained how they were for a while and then Steele slowly dismounted. The pair were still connected by their tie that occurs with nearly all canines after mating. Time passed and eventually Steele was able to slip himself out of Aleu's body. Aleu flopped on the ground panting. Steele walked to her side then laid down beside her. Aleu glanced up at Steele then smiled softly.

"That was amazing Steele." Aleu whispered. Steele smiled and licked Aleu's nose.

"I'm glad Aleu. I love you." Steele said. Aleu wagged her tail.

"I love you too, Steele." Aleu said with a soft yawn before resting her head down. Steele rested his head on Aleu's back and soon both were asleep.


	15. New Arrivals

Two months had passed since Aleu and Steele began life in their new home. Steele had just returned alone from a hunt. Since Aleu was expecting pups, he had done the hunting himself so she could get rest. Today was different though. Aleu usually came out to greet him, but today she wasn't there. He flicked his tail and scented the air. All he could really smell Aleu's scent, but there was something new. Four new scents met his nostrils. He then smiled softly and walked over to the entrance of the cave.

"Aleu? Did the pups arrive?" Steele asked. From the back of the cave, Aleu's sleepy voice was barely audible.

"Yes Steele. They are beautiful. Come in and see them." Aleu said softly. Steele walked to the back of the cave and saw Aleu laying down. At her stomach rested four pups. There was a black one, a light brown one, a dark brown one, and a light red one.

"What are their genders? What order were they born in?" Steele asked eagerly. Aleu gently nudged one pup after another as she explained.

"The black one is a male. He was born first. The light brown one is a female. She was born second. The dark brown one is a male. He was born third. And this small light red one is a female. She was born last." Aleu said. Steele nodded and gave the pups a look over.

"They look lovely, Aleu." Steele said. Aleu nodded.

"I have name ideas for them. Would you like to hear?" Aleu asked. Steele chuckled softly and sat down then looked at the pups again before looking back at Aleu and nodding. Aleu giggled happily.

"For the two females, I was thinking of Heather for the light red one and Freya for the light brown one. As far as the males go, I was thinking of Teagan for the dark brown one and Coal for the black one." Aleu said. Steele smiled brightly.

"Those are wonderful names." Steele said. Aleu wagged her tail happily.

"I'm glad you like them. Oh and Steele, I have something I'd like to ask." Aleu said. Steele flicked his ears and looked at Aleu.

"Yes?" Steele prompted. Aleu glanced at the pups as they began nursing then back at Steele.

"After they open their eyes and can walk well on their own, would it be alright if we took them to visit my parents?" Aleu asked. Steele smiled softly and nodded.

"That's fine by me, Aleu." Steele said. Aleu wagged her tail happily and licked Steele's cheek. Steele returned the gesture then the turned his attention back outside.

"I can bring in the food for you. I caught you a rabbit." Steele said. Aleu licked her lips and nodded.

"That sounds wonderful." Aleu said. Steele nodded then went out and brought the rabbit inside and placed it in front of Aleu. Aleu began eating and Steele sat down and watched over his mate and pups with happiness and pride. Once Aleu was finished, Steele took out the remains and took them away from the cave before burying them and returning back. By the time he got back, Aleu and the pups were asleep. He smiled softly and laid down beside Aleu and soon he too was asleep.


	16. Family Visit

The sun was just barely rising and there was already movement inside of the cave where Steele, Aleu and their pups lived. Teagan opened his eyes then flicked his tail and glanced around. His bright blue eyes scanned each of his family members and then he smiled.

"Good… they're all asleep." Teagan said quietly to himself before leaping over his younger sister, Heather. He then grinned and began quietly walking to the mouth of the cave. Before he got there, he felt something pounce on him. He yipped in surprise and struggled to see what was not pinning him down. As he glanced up, he saw the bright blue eyes of his brother, Coal. Coal smirked down at his younger brother.

"Well good morning, Teagan. Where were you going?" Coal said. Teagan growled softly.

"Apparently no where now since you've got me pinned down. Just get off me, Coal. You're too heavy." Teagan said in an irritated voice. Coal chuckled.

"I don't have to listen to you Teagan. I'm the oldest." Coal said teasingly. Teagan struggled and growled more.

"I don't care!! Get off of me." Teagan snapped. Coal chuckled and rather than getting off, he plopped down all his weight on Teagan. Teagan groaned loudly. Heather and Freya lifted their heads then stood up and walked over. Heather, being the youngest and smallest, remained quiet, but Freya decided to speak out.

"Hey Coal, get off of him would you?" Freya asked. Coal glanced up and his bright blue eyes looked defiantly at his sisters darker blue eyes. They glared at each other for a moment, and then Coal groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Oh fine. You're no fun." Coal complained as he got off of Teagan. Teagan grunted and shook off his pelt.

"Thanks for getting me covered in dirt, Coal. Now mom's probably going to give me a bath." Teagan groaned. Freya giggled.

"I honestly don't see why you make such a fuss about getting cleaned, Teagan. It's not that bad." Freya said. Coal chuckled softly.

"Yeah Teagan. Besides you have brown fur anyway, you can hardly see the dirt on you anyway." Coal said. Teagan narrowed his eyes then growled playfully.

"Well dirt shows up on your black fur so maybe I should you know how it feels, Coal." Teagan said. Freya rolled her eyes and stepped between her brothers before they could go any further.

"Would you guys cool it? Don't you remember what mom said yesterday? We're supposed to meet our grandparents today." Freya said. Before anything else could be said, Aleu walked over and sat beside Heather.

"That's right Freya." Aleu said in a soft voice. Freya giggled softly and ran up to her mother then sat down again. Coal and Teagan followed after then sat down in front of their mother. Surprisingly, Heather was the first to speak up.

"Mom, what do our grandma and grandpa look like?" Heather asked in her soft voice. Aleu smiled brightly.

"Well your grandpa, Balto, looks a bit like Teagan. Your grandma, Jenna, looks a bit like you, Heather." Aleu said. All four of the pups smiled happily. Coal chuckled softly then glanced at the mouth of the cave.

"So, when do we leave then?" Coal asked eagerly. Aleu giggled softly.

"We can leave once your father gets up." Aleu said. Just as the words escaped her mouth, Steele walked up.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Steele asked. The four pups nodded eagerly and Aleu smiled.

"Let's be on our way then." Aleu said. The family soon set off on their way towards town. By the time they were in sight of the old ship, the sun was nearing setting. The journey wouldn't usually take too long for just Steele and Aleu, but with the pups, they had to adjust their pace and stop for breaks every so often. Aleu smiled then howled softly. Just inside the ship, Balto flicked up his ears then leaped off the side of the ship and walked over to Steele and Aleu.

"Well hello you two. Long time no…" Balto trailed off when he saw the pups looking up at him. He chuckled softly then howled to call Jenna. In town, Jenna was with Rosie, but when Balto's howl was heard, Rosie let Jenna go. Soon Jenna arrived and sat down beside Balto.

"What took you so…" Jenna too trailed off when she saw the pups looking up at her. She smiled softly. Aleu took a step forward.

"Mom, dad, I'd like you to meet your grandchildren." Aleu announced. Coal walked up first and smiled softly.

"Hello, my name is Coal. I'm the oldest." Coal said. He went back to his previous spot then Freya walked up.

"Hello, my name is Freya. I was born after Coal." Freya said. She went back and sat down then Teagan stepped up.

"Hello, my name is Teagan. I was born after Freya." Teagan said. He went back and finally Heather walked up and glanced up shyly.

"Hello, my name is Heather. I was the last born in the litter." Heather said before turning and quickly going back between her parents. Balto and Jenna smiled happily and wagged their tails.

"Nice to meet all of you. I'm your grandma, Jenna, and this is your grandpa, Balto." Jenna said. Balto dipped his head.

"Now that you guys are here, feel free to make yourselves at home." Balto said. Jenna nodded then looked up at the sky.

"That and it's getting dark, so if your parents say it's ok, you could stay the night." Jenna said with a glance at Aleu and Steele. Steele chuckled.

"Thank you for the offer Jenna, that sounds good. I wouldn't want anyone to get lost in the dark on the way home." Steele said. Aleu giggled and nodded in agreement. The pups soon got more acquainted with their grandparents and then transitioned to playing games. By the time is was completely dark, all four of them were exhausted and fast asleep. Jenna flicked up her ears as she heard the sounds of town quieting.

"I'll need to be getting home. Where are Aleu, Steele and the pups going to sleep?" Jenna asked Balto. Balto flicked his ears then glanced at the ship.

"They can stay up in the ship. We can all carry the pups up there." Balto said. Jenna, Steele and Aleu nodded. Balto picked up Teagan, Jenna picked up Heather, Aleu picked up Freya and Steele picked up Coal. The four then climbed the walkway on the side of the ship then placed the pups in Aleu's room.

"Now that you guys are settled, I'd best be going." Jenna said. Everyone nodded as she went back to town. Balto yawned softly.

"I'm sure you guys will need sleep too since you'll have a long walk back with all these pups." Balto said. Aleu and Steele nodded then Balto headed off to bed. Aleu and Steele laid down with their pups and soon they were asleep.


	17. Home Again

The sun was just barely up and there was movement within Steele and Aleu's temporary room. Steele rose quietly, stretched then gently nudged Aleu.

"Time to wake up. We need to get going soon." Steele said gently. Aleu flicked her ears then lifted her head and yawned softly and stood up then stretched. She nuzzled Steele softly then gently nudged her pups one by one. The four were soon awake and stretching out.

"Why do we have to leave so early, mom?" Teagan groaned lightly. Aleu giggled softly and gently licked flat a piece of fur that was sticking up on his head.

"Because we still have to walk all the way home." Aleu answered. Coal walked over and grinned at his younger brother.

"Don't worry, Teagan, if you get tired I can carry you home." Coal said as he puffed out his chest. Teagan rolled his eyes then nipped softly on his brother's ear.

"No way! I can make the whole walk home just fine!" Teagan retorted. Coal chuckled and pushed his brother with a paw.

"Yeah yeah, sure sure." Coal said. Aleu giggled softly.

"Settle down boys. You'll need your energy for the trip home." Aleu said softly. Steele walked to her side and nodded.

"That you will boys." Steele said in agreement. The two nodded. Heather and Freya walked over then sat down.

"Can we say goodbye to grandma and grandpa?" Freya asked. Aleu nodded.

"Of course. Let's all head over." Aleu said before she headed to her father's room. Balto had just gotten up and when he spotted his daughter and her family he smiled softly.

"Heading off then?" Balto asked. Aleu and Steele nodded. Balto nodded as well.

"Alright. Let me get Jenna here too." Balto said before he walked outside and howled. Jenna was soon on the ship as the family said their goodbyes. Steele glanced at the sky then back at everyone.

"Ok. Time to head out." Steele said. Aleu and the pups nodded and were soon on their way home.

* * *

By the time the family got home, it was afternoon. The pups got drinks of water then ran into the cave and all plopped down and were soon fast asleep. Steele chuckled softly as he watched them head in then sat down beside Aleu as the side of the lake.

"They're good pups, Aleu." Steele said. Aleu nodded then smiled and licked Steele's cheek.

"Yes they are. They'll grow up to be fine adults one day." Aleu said. Steele nodded.

"Hey Aleu?" Steele asked nonchalantly. Aleu raised a brow.

"Yes?" Aleu said. Steele grinned.

"Love you." Steele said before he licked Aleu's muzzle. Aleu giggled happily and licked Steele's muzzle in return.

"Love you too." Aleu echoed. The two sat together and watched the sunset for a while before heading back into the cave with their pups for the night.


End file.
